


Until exam season

by SerpentKid



Category: No Fandom, Original Work
Genre: Established Relationship, Goodbyes, M/M, Original Character(s), Sad and Sweet, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:01:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22227565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SerpentKid/pseuds/SerpentKid
Summary: This is a short and simple work of prose that was heavily inspired by something Leonardo da Vinci wrote about the physical work of sculpting in his Codex Urbinas, and that has stuck with me ever since reading it.
Relationships: Original Male Character/Original Male Character





	Until exam season

He wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand, leaving smudges of grey dust where his hand had been, as he turned to face me. The room was wide and open, art utensils cluttering pale brick walls and dark hardwood floors, and a ladder near a man-sized slab of marble, that was already worked out to look like the torso of a young man was breaking through its surface, was situated in the center of the room. 

“Hey – you found me”, he said with a smile as he stepped off the ladder and patted his hands on his already dusty corduroy pants.   
“I did indeed”, I said and closed the door behind me, “I had to see you.”   
His grin turned into an even wider one: “Is that so?”.   
I nodded slightly and waited for him to set his sculpting utensils down. The warm light that shone through the large windows of the studio softened his face to look like the one of a young Greek god, and the dark locks that fell onto his forehead in sweaty and dust-specked streaks made him seem almost irresistible. I stepped towards him and put one of my palms onto his chest to just feel his beating heart for a moment before I let him pull me closer and into a tight embrace.   
“I’m glad you thought to see me before you leave”, he muttered into my hair.   
A painful smile tugged at the corners of my mouth as I let myself sink deeper into his arms. “I wish I didn’t have to…”, I whispered.   
“I wish you didn’t have to, either.” He let out a deep sigh and moved a few inches away so he could look at me. “You will be back, though, will you?” His rough fingers were stroking my cheek. I could smell the metallic scent of the tools he had been using and felt the itch of marble dust in my nose.   
“I sure hope so”, I answered. “Things will sort themselves out, I suppose, and as long as everything goes well, I should be back before exams start.”   
He gave me a weak smile and let one of his hands come to rest on the back of my neck. “Promise to write to me?”  
“I will."

He pulled me closer and as soon as his lips touched mine, I felt like I could finally breathe again. He kissed me with all his might, and I dared not to let go of him any time too soon. Through my closed eyes, I could see him embracing me again when I would come back to the academy, him laughing in a crowded classroom before an exam, him sitting at a study room desk that is cluttered with empty coffee mugs and wine glasses and papers and books, him asleep with his reading glasses still on in one of the armchairs in the common rooms, him only.   
When I opened my eyes again, I saw him as well. But it was through a watery barrier of tears that were slowly dwelling up and interfering with my sight. I saw him swallowing and I knew that he was fighting back tears as well.   
“Do not forget me while I’m gone.”   
“How could I ever?”, he said and wiped away a single tear that had fallen onto my cheek. I took a deep breath. The big clock outside struck 3.   
“I have to go…”, I whispered.   
“Let me bring you to the gates, then.” 

I nodded and together we walked towards the main hall, where my luggage was still set down in a neat pile near the receptionist’s desk. The weather outside already showed the early signs that fall was approaching, red and yellow leaves littered the cobbled paths on campus, the air was crisp and the ground still wet from the last rainfall. The large gates gave way with a loud creak, as they always did, and as I looked at him for the last time, I tried to imprint his image into my mind with all my might. As if it was going to be the last time, I’d ever see him.   
“I will be missing you…”, I said.   
He smiled: “I will be missing you too. Very much so.” I took another shaky breath before I finally turned to be on my way.   
“Goodbye”, I said.   
“Until exam season, Charles”, he said.   
I smiled.   
Until exam season.   
I would be back.


End file.
